1 dead, 1 injured in Putnam train accident Thursday

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A man is dead and a woman injured after they were hit by a southbound passenger train about 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Hancel Woods said the accident happened at the rail intersection with County Road 309 in Satsuma.

The Florida Highway Patrol identified the two people as 30-year-old Stephen Carl Smith and 32-year-old Amanda Harvey.

The crash report said the train operator saw what he believed to be debris on the tracks and sounded the horn. When he could see it was two people lying on the tracks, he applied the brakes.

He told investigators the two people attempted to stand up, but it was too late, the FHP said.

Smith, from San Mateo, died at the scene after being struck by the front of the train. Harvey, from East Palatka, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The Amtrak Auto Train 53 was traveling between Lorton, Va., and Sanford and had 344 passengers. No one on the train was injured, said Kimberly Woods, a spokeswoman for Amtrak. She said the train travels at a maximum speed of 79 mph but may have been going slower at the time.